Eleven offensive starters from South River and 11 defensive starters from Delran were kicked out of the 34-16 Delran victory.

Jack DuBois, associate director of New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, said not all of the ejections were for misconduct, meaning not all 22 players will be subject to one-game suspensions under NJSIAA rules.

“This was an attempt by the game officials to get better control for the remainder of the game and to ensure a safe environment,” DuBois told MyCentralJersey.com.

South River head coach Rich Marchesi said he believed the melee broke out after a late hit on his quarterback.

“I think it was kind of chippy from the beginning,” Marchesi said. “Both teams played hard and there was some talking on the field. There were numerous penalties. When it really kind of came to a head, we were down inside our own 10 (yard line) and I think my quarterback was hit late. It kind of went from there.”

Delran head coach Garrett Lucas said he did not believe South River’s quarterback absorbed a late hit, noting that a defensive lineman recorded an interception near the line of scrimmage on the play in question, adding that he believed the throw would have been much further down field had the hit been late.

“The film will be released,” Lucas said, adding that he believed South River’s quarterback “was getting hit as he was throwing it, therefore it’s a clean hit.”

Marchesi said he believed four or five players from each team were involved in the melee.

“There wasn’t 11 and 11 kids going at it,” he said. “That’s kind of a misconception. There was a pile of about four or five (from each team). The refs had to sort a couple of things out.”

Marchesi said the melee lasted less than five minutes but stopped play for about 20 minutes as game officials restored order and doled out ejections.

“I strongly feel that the officials just didn’t know what to do with the situation so that (ejecting every player on the field) was an easier decision to make,” Lucas said. “We’ve been looking at (the film) now for probably the last 11 hours and its three or four guys (from each team) that should have been ejected.”

Lucas said he, Delran athletics director Anthony Guidotti and Delran principal Daniel Finkle rushed off the sidelines and onto the field to help break up the altercation.

Under NJSIAA rules, the Delran players who were ejected must sit out the school's Nov. 21 game against Cinnaminson, which will decide the West Jersey Football League's Patriot Division championship. Seven of those players are seniors.

“If those kids can’t play in that game, it’s a downright travesty,” Lucas said, adding he hopes the NJSIAA will reverse the on-field decision. "I do hope that Jack is able to take a look at this. I trust that the right thing will be done."

Ten of the South River players who were ejected are seniors. Because South River's football season is over, any of those players who are multi-sport athletes, under NJSIAA rules, must sit the first two games of the next sports season in which they will compete.

Marchesi said none of the players from either team's sidelines ventured onto the field during the melee and that he believed only the players who might have been directly involved in the altercation should have been ejected.